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February 24, 2009

More Than 14,000 California Teacher Pink Slips Issued – CTA Fights Back With Statewide Day of Action

Contact: Mike Myslinski at 650-552-5324

BURLINGAME – Mobilizing against public school cuts and more than 14,000 educator pink slips already issued by school districts statewide, the California Teachers Association recently launched a new social networking website where educators are blogging, receiving text message alerts, posting videos and promoting a March 13 day of protest against layoffs. The severe cuts are the result of more than $11 billion in new state budget education funding cuts.

Visit www.PinkFriday09.org today and often to find out how to participate in a nearby Pink Friday event.

“The new state budget makes what is the largest single budget cut ever made to public education in California,” said David A. Sanchez, president of the 340,000-member CTA. “Our Pink Friday website is one of many ways we are fighting back and building communities of public school advocates. The website’s focus is on March 13, the deadline for issuing preliminary pink slips to educators, but it is our hope that its users will remain active supporters of public schools and help us stop California’s race to the bottom in education funding.”

The user-friendly site provides a way for the public to stand up for public schools – and it’s a resource for media covering school cuts in California, which ranks 47th in the nation in per-pupil spending. Watch videos featuring CTA President Sanchez warning about the impacts of cuts – or a teacher in New Haven Unified in Alameda County who is going door-to-door to discuss how cuts hurt communities. Media can find information about upcoming school cuts protests statewide, including in El Segundo, Manteca, Pomona, Castro Valley, Fullerton, Santa Maria and Bakersfield. Check back often as events have only just begun to be posted.

The massive education cuts of $11.6 billion over the next 17 months to K-12 schools alone are equivalent to laying off more than 165,000 teachers, or closing California’s public schools for 40 days. Funding for California’s community colleges will be cut by more than $230 million, and our universities will take a 10 percent funding hit. K-12 class sizes will increase, vital programs will be eliminated and more qualified students will find the doors of higher education closed. For more budget information, also visit www.cta.org.